Taken By My Fiancé's Uncle - Chapter 38: Chapter 38

In the study at Silverlake Villa, Lorraine was curled up alone with a book. The staff had been told not to disturb her, so no one dared come upstairs.
She was supposed to have several important classes today, but after breakfast, Eugene flat-out refused to let her go to school, saying, "It's a sensitive time. You can't just go out."
'Sensitive? Seriously? I'm just pregnant, not sick,' Lorraine thought, feeling like she could totally live her life as usual.
But as soon as she tried to push back, he shut her down right in front of all the servants. The way he "punished" her was so embarrassing, just thinking about it made her blush.
Right then, her phone rang. She glanced at the caller ID. It was Sheila. Lorraine picked up and pressed the phone to her ear. "Sheila?"
"Lorraine, you really are pregnant, aren't you?" Sheila asked. She had waited all night, and when Lorraine didn't show up at school this morning, she pretty much figured it out. She barely made it through class before calling.
"Yeah," Lorraine said, absentmindedly touching her belly. "I really am."
"So what are you going to do? If you want an abortion, I'll go with you. Don't be scared. I've got your back," Sheila said, always being a loyal friend.
"I... I don't think I can do that anymore," Lorraine said, her voice dropping.
"What?" Sheila gasped. "Wait. You're not actually thinking of keeping the baby, are you?"
'Is she out of her mind? She hasn't even graduated yet. How the hell is she supposed to raise a kid? What about her future?' Sheila thought.
"From the way Eugene's acting, that's what he wants," Lorraine replied.
Sheila took a second to gather herself. "No, you can't keep this baby. If you do, you'll be even more tied up with him."
"But weren't you just saying how handsome he was the other day?" Lorraine muttered, absentmindedly scratching faint lines into the leather sofa.
"That's not the point," Sheila said, forcing herself to calm down. "Even if Stephen's a jerk, you've already gotten your revenge. I think Eugene's just using you because of that.
"So what's the point of having this baby? You can't just throw your whole life away like this."
Lorraine was totally confused. "What are you talking about? I don't get it."
She'd known for a long time that Eugene was using her, and she'd always suspected it was to deal with Stephen. 'What does Sheila mean by getting my revenge? I'm not even divorced yet,' she wondered.
"The Moore family's split into two camps, both fighting for control of the Moore Group. Eugene and Stephen are total rivals. Eugene only came to you to take Stephen down. Just look at today's news, and you'll get it. Moore Group's already tanked," Sheila explained.
"What news?" Lorraine asked.
"Just check for yourself. And don't promise Eugene anything on your own. I'm grabbing a cab to Silverlake Villa right now. Don't panic," Sheila said and then hung up.
Lorraine clenched her phone and scrolled through the news. The headlines were everywhere, flooding nonstop, like a bombshell dropping in the business world, the political scene, and even among the gossip mill.
The news about Stephen being gay had blown up, and the Moore Group's stock was tanking, almost crashing completely.
A mysterious insider even told reporters that Stephen's marriage was just a cover for his sexuality. If anyone doubted it, they said they had both a witness and physical evidence.
Lorraine thought, 'So, I'm the witness? And the evidence... could it be the baby I'm carrying? So this is what Eugene meant by cooperation. To him, the baby and I are just two pieces of evidence.'
She spaced out for a second, her grip loosening. Coconut, who'd been nestled in her arms, hopped down and started darting around the study.
'No, it couldn't be,' she thought. The way he insisted on keeping the baby, and how gentle he had been last night and this morning, felt so genuine.
Lorraine took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. She decided to wait until Eugene came back before doing anything.
Suddenly, Coconut knocked something over with a loud thud. She rushed over and saw the little rabbit had jumped onto the desk, scattering a pile of documents everywhere.
She scooped Coconut up, put him back in his cage, and then bent down to gather the papers. When she glanced at the top page, she froze. Her own name was listed as Party A, and Eugene as Party B.
There were two copies, both with the same terms, and everything spelled out clearly.
The gist was that Lorraine would help Eugene expose Stephen's secret to the media. In return, Eugene would protect her through the storm, help her get a divorce, and send her to the best medical school in Lesvinton.
Everything was laid out neatly and professionally. The date was the very day she got married.
'So this is what Eugene meant by cooperation,' Lorraine thought, feeling dizzy as she gripped the contract and sank onto the sofa.
She couldn't even tell if she was disappointed. She had never really expected anything from him to begin with. But still, her heart felt hollow, as if something was missing, tangled up in confusion and unrest.
She wondered, 'Is this just a business deal? Then why did Eugene go through all this to get me involved? And the baby is part of his plan?
'With the partnership almost finalized but the contract still unsigned, what does he plan to do with me? Will he send me overseas right away, or wait until after the baby's born before shipping me off?'
Many questions flooded her mind, leaving her feeling completely lost. Thankfully, Sheila would be here soon. Lorraine thought she could help her make sense of it all.
Lorraine stood up, neatly put the documents back where they belonged, and then went downstairs to find Daryl.
"My friend will be here soon. Please tell the guard to directly let her in. We have some things to discuss, so there's no need for you to entertain her," she said.
Daryl nodded. "No problem, Ms. Shaw. I'll let them know right away, and we'll all give you some privacy."
"Alright, thank you," Lorraine said.
Lorraine hadn't been upstairs for long when she heard a rustling sound behind her. She turned around. "Sh... Wait. Why are you here?"
She was stunned. The person standing there was actually Stephen.
He looked like a mess. His clothes were wrinkled, his hair a tangled mess, and as he got closer, the heavy smell of alcohol hit her.
"Darling, my mom told me to come get you and bring you home. We gotta keep up appearances for the Moore family," he slurred.
Lorraine felt disgusted, knowing he was clearly up to no good. Her heart started racing as she instinctively stepped back.
"S-stop right there. You've been drinking, haven't you? Are you dizzy? Why don't you sit down for a bit?" She pointed to the sofa, stalling for time.
Stephen let out a loud, drunken burp and gave her a crooked grin. "Still worried about me, huh? That's my wife."
To her relief, he actually stopped, leaving a few feet between them. Lorraine quietly moved toward the curtains, grabbed a vase, and hid it behind her back just in case.
The study was far from the living room, and the servants had all gone home. They wouldn't come unless called. Lorraine knew she wasn't going to get any help soon.
"Of course, I care. You're my husband, right?" Lorraine nodded, trying to sound genuine. "You've had so much to drink. Does your stomach hurt? How about I go downstairs and get you some water, and then we can talk?"
"Get me some water," Stephen said, slumping down on the sofa with a mocking grin.
"Sure. I know you like your honey water warm. I'll go make it for you, okay?" Lorraine said.
Her careful tone seemed to confuse his drunken mind, and to her surprise, he actually nodded. "Then hurry back, darling."
"Alright, just stay here and don't go anywhere, okay?" Lorraine took the chance and headed for the door without hesitation. "I'll be right back."
But as she passed Stephen, he suddenly grabbed her with surprising strength and shoved her onto the sofa.
"What are you doing?" Lorraine's head spun from the impact. She fought to pry his hands off. "Stephen!"
Stephen's face was flushed, his breath heavy with alcohol. "Now everyone knows I'm gay. I gotta prove them wrong, right? I can get it up. I can do it with you," he spat, his voice shaking with humiliation and anger.
He yanked at her clothes, his movements rough and desperate. But no matter how hard he tried, his body wouldn't cooperate. He thought, 'Even though it disgusts me, I have to go through with it. She's my woman. I can't lose everything.'
Lorraine's heart was pounding so hard that it felt like it might burst. "Who said you're gay? That's just nonsense! Let me go, okay? If anyone's misunderstood you, I'll help clear it up. I promise."
She decided to say whatever he wanted to hear. As long as she could calm him down and get out of the room, she might have a chance to escape.
"Clear things up?" Stephen sneered, his voice cold. "I got kicked out of the Moore Group today. All because of you. You unfaithful woman."
At the shareholders' meeting, Eugene had moved fast and ruthlessly, not even giving them a chance to react, and he fired Stephen on the spot. It all happened so fast and suddenly, but it felt like it had been planned. Overnight, Stephen lost everything.
Lorraine saw the fury in his bloodshot eyes. She knew talking was useless now. She grabbed the vase in her hand and smashed it at him with all her strength. The vase shattered with a loud crash, the shock numbing her hand.
Then she fought back with everything she had—biting, kicking, and doing whatever it took to break free.
Stephen grunted in pain, clutching his head as he stumbled back. Lorraine shoved him away and bolted for the door, but he was right behind her.
The hallway on the top floor felt endless. It was dark, cold, and suffocating.
Lorraine didn't dare look back. With her teeth gritted, she ran as fast as she could, praying she'd make it out.
But Stephen was faster. She could feel him closing in as she reached the stairs, screaming, "Help!"
Stephen lunged to grab her. Lorraine tried to dodge, but in her panic, he shoved her hard.
She screamed as she tumbled down the long staircase.